Frequently Asked Questions for Radio Advertising

How often should I change my radio ads?

How often you consider changing your radio commercial depends on the number of times your commercial airs each week (frequency) and the number of consecutive weeks you air (consistency). Of course you’ll change your commercial if your offer changes. My observation is that most radio commercials are changed too often. I advise my clients to change their commercial when they see a downturn in the response by customers.

Should I write my own commercial?

You can write your commercial if you understand the basics of writing for radio. The best radio commercials are written in a conversational style. The language should be simple and straight forward. It’s advisable to focus on one or two key concepts. I’ve always said that you should write your radio commercial with the “net take away.” What will people remember once your commercial has aired? Sometimes it’s better to have someone else write the commercial. Their perspective of your product or service may be more in line with your customers.

Should I voice my own commercials?

I’m a big believer in clients recording their own commercials. You must be comfortable with the concept. If the thought scares you maybe you shouldn’t record your ads. If you can overcome your fear there are a few advantages to doing your own commercials. Your voice on the air will give you separation from the other advertisers. Your message will be more personable. Listeners will feel they know you personally. We all tend to do business with people we know and like. Just be careful you don’t let ego take over. We’ve all heard ads were the person speaking sounds like they’re pretending to be a deejay from the 1950’s.

Is there a way to track the effectiveness of my advertising?

This is the million dollar question that haunts every advertiser.  Radio is particularly hard to track because it’s intangible. You should track your advertising so you know what’s working and what you need to change. When you ask customers how they came to call you they respond with the first thing that pops into there mind. Keep in mind that they want to solve their problem. How they managed to come to you is not their main concern. I’ve heard more than one story where a business owner uses a survey card to track their advertising. Each customer is asked to fill out the card asking how they managed to visit their business. They offer the customer the opportunity to choose newspaper, magazine, direct mail, internet, radio and television. The problem is a percentage of the customers surveyed always choose an option that was not used in the campaign. The only way to effectively track a radio campaign is to make an offer in your commercial that the customer would not hear anywhere else. Don’t say mention this ad and receive 10% off. It won’t work. It sounds cheap and it will turn off some potential customers.

What are the best and worst times to advertise on the radio?

Most people will respond that drive times are the best times to advertise on the radio. It’s not that simple. It depends on the objective of your campaign. Someone is always listening to the radio. If you take the smallest station and pick the most obscure time, let’s say 3:00 A.M., someone is listening. When you buy only drive times you’ll reach a higher percentage of listeners but you’ll also pay a premium for the air time. You’ll also sacrifice reach. Restricting the times when your commercial air always limits the number of listeners that will hear your message. I’ve designed campaigns that used only off prime hours that have been extremely effective.  

Should I have a jingle?

A good jingle can brand your business. Please understand that a jingle that sets on a shelf is a waste on money. You have to be committed to radio as an advertising medium before you invest in a jingle. A jingle will not produce instant results. It has to be aired consistently over many months before you’ll realize the benefits of you investment. If you’re committed to radio, a jingle can set your business apart from your competition. A jingle will not produce miracles. You’ll still need good copy writing and good production.

How much does radio advertising cost?

The cost of a radio campaign will vary depending on a number of variables. When you advertise on the radio you’re buying access to the number of listeners the station can deliver. The larger the audience the more you’ll have to invest. The cost will also be determined by market conditions. Competition between radio stations can effect your investment. Competition from other advertising mediums such as TV can also have an effect on the price a radio station charges. Radio is sold by day-parts. You’ll pay a premium price to advertise during the time of day that a station reports to have the most listeners. Since there are so many variables affecting the price you’ll have to get a quote from the station you’re considering.

How long does it take for radio advertising to work?

This depends on what you’re selling and the offer you make to the buying public.
If you’re selling sixteen-ounce gold bars for $10.00 each you’ll have more customers than you can handle the very first day. Most advertisers bail before a radio advertising campaign gets traction. I tell new clients that they’ll probably be unhappy during the first three months. After six months you’ll start talking to me again. After ten months you’ll be a client for life. Michael Corbett in the “33 Ruthless Rules of Local Advertising” calls the first four months of advertising on the radio “the chickening out period.” It’s at that point that all the ground work you’ve done to establish your business with the listening audience of your chosen radio station starts to produce dividends.

How much is commercial production?

Most radio stations include the script writing and commercial production with the cost of your commercials. Your sales rep will write the script or some stations may have hired a commercial copywriter. A member of the radio station air staff typically does production. Larger stations may have a fulltime employee responsible for commercial production. There may be fees for talent and copy writing if you decide to air your commercial on another radio station.

Should I hire an advertising agency?

An advertising agency can handle all or some of your advertising and marketing. If you have a large budget and advertise over a number of different mediums an agency can save you time. Your agency rep will be your single contact. They’ll work with radio, newspaper, TV, magazines, etc. An advertising agency can also help you define your marketing image. When you’re hiring an advertising agency you’ll want to use the same due diligence that you’d use in hiring a new employee.

What should I say in my commercial?

Make your commercial about your customer’s problem and how you’ll solve it with your product or service. Tell people what makes your business unique. Give the listener a reason to respond with a strong offer. A radio commercial should be written in simple straightforward language. Your best commercial will sound like one side of a conversation you’re having with your best customer. Too many details will overwhelm the listener. Focus on a single concept that the listener will remember after the commercial is over. End your commercial with how you want the listener to contact your business. 

I’m a small business with a small budget. Can I use radio effectively?

Some radio stations have designed special programs for small business. A successful radio advertising campaign takes into account reach, frequency and consistency. Reach is the number of people who are exposed to your commercial. Frequency is a measure of how times the average listener will hear your commercial in any given week. You must be a consistent advertiser to have an impact with radio. Avoid short-term offerings. I have some clients with small budgets who’ve advertised with me over years. The key to their success is they’ve been on the air telling their story consistently for years. 

How do I know your audience is my target market?

Any radio station will be able to provide you with demographic information on who’s listening to their station.  Some may be able to provide you with independent research such as Scarborough. Look at your best customers. Define them by age, sex, marital status and income. If the listeners of the station match the profile of your best client you’re talking to the right people.

What percent of my budget should I spend on advertising?

Your advertising budget is usually computed as a percentage of your gross receipts. The average spent varies by industry. The Radio Advertising Bureau publishes a list of averages by industry. A new business will need to spend more to get established in the market. An established business may allocate 5%. A startup business will need to spend 10%. If your radio representative is a member of RAB they can provide you with this information.

How far does the station reach?

Any radio station can provide you with a coverage map that will show you the area reached by their signal. The real question should be how far people would drive to buy your product. If you go to the customer how far are you willing to travel? Also, signal strength does not tell you anything about how many people are listening to the station.

What types of businesses have the most success from radio advertising?

I believe that any business can benefit from using radio. The Radio Advertising Bureau publishes a list of the top twenty advertisers. This information is available at www.rab.com. Listen to who’s advertising on the radio in your area. If a business is consistently advertising, they must be getting results. Some of the top radio advertisers in the Fredericksburg market include car dealers, furniture stores, financial institutions, heating and air conditioning contractors, and restaurants.